1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to military antipersonnel mine training devices which simulate battlefield explosive devices with bright flashes of light and buzzer type sounds and work in conjunction with systems which receive these sounds and which systems in turn provide an indication of the damage said battlefield explosive devices would have inflicted on targetted personnel and equipment.
2. Background of the Invention
This invention is used in systems that train soldiers for combat. The system that this invention is used in conjunction with is called the "Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System" or (MILES). The MILES system has revolutionized the way in which armies train for combat. MILES has been fielded with armies of many nations throughout the free world and has become the International standard against which all other Tactical Engagement Systems (TES) are measured. Until this invention no antipersonnel training mine existed which could be used in a force on force training scenario, and be compatible with the MILES system. The specific mine that this invention was developed to simulate in conjunction with the MILES system is called an M16 antipersonnel mine, also called a Bouncing Betty or Tomato Can Mine.
The actual M16 series mine is functioned by either a 3 to 15 pound pull on a trip wire or lanyard or by a force of 8 to 45 pounds on one or more of several prongs protruding from the top of the M16 fuze. This pull or push releases a firing pin which strikes a primer which ignites a fuze delay charge. The fuze delay allows time for persons stepping on the prongs to move from directly above the mine. The fuze delay ignites a relay charge which ignites a fuze igniter charge. The fuze igniter charge ignites a mine propelling charge which projects the shell body upward and at the same time ignites a detonator delay charge. The detonator delay charge burns through and initiates a detonator which explodes boosters which explode a bursting charge about one meter above the ground. The M16 training mine of this invention functions with the MILES system by popping up when actuated, flashing a bright light, and utilizing a fixed frequency buzzer to produce acoustic waves which are picked up by microphones in a MILES harness worn by soldiers closeby in battlefield training conditions. One embodiment of this invention includes a time delay to simulate the fuze delay in the actual M16 antipersonnel mine.
The present existing MILES system contains a feature which is intended to sense the removal and replacement of batteries used to power the MILES equipment carried by the soldier. When a soldier removes and then replaces a battery in his MILES harness, the harness emits an audio alarm indicating the soldier has been hit by some weapon. Circuitry in the MILES harness which picks up the acoustic signal emitted by the buzzer in this invention processes the acoustic signal and uses the processed signal to activate a switch which removes the MILES harness battery from the harness circuitry. When the buzzer in the mine simulator stops, the circuitry in the MILES harness senses this and electronically places the battery back into the circuit of the MILES harness. This action causes the alarm in the MILES system to trigger indicating that a hit has taken place. A special feature presently incorporated in the MILES provides for an audible alarm to be activated upon removal and reinsertion of the MILES power source. This feature prevents a targetted soldier from rendering the MILES harmless by deactivating said soldier's MILES receiver during simulated combat, because when the power source or battery is reinserted an audible alarm is activated. Consequently, by electronically momentarily removing the MILES power source from the MILES circuit for a time and then reinserting it back into the MILES circuit, the MILES mine simulator system is able to utilize this "off and on" action as a "hit" indication. This operation is performed when MILES receiver circuitry detects an acoustic signal of sufficient amplitude and duration. This acoustic signal can even be a coded acoustic signal. A means for detecting the acoustic signal, for example a microphone, is located on each target which has been outfitted with a MILES. Targets can be vehicles, soldiers, buildings, etc. The microphone that detects the acoustic signal generated by the mine simulator is connected to MILES receiver and identification circuitry. The output of the receiver is used as signal to momentarily remove the MILES power source from the rest of the MILES circuit. This results in the MILES audible alarm being activated.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a reuseable M16 antipersonnel mine simulator system which is compatible with a MILES system worn during training exercises by a soldier, or soldiers.
It is another object of this invention to provide a mine simulator system which simulates the M16 or Bouncing Betty, Tomato Can Mines by popping up above the ground when stepped on or when a trip wire/lanyard attached to the mine is tripped.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a mine simulator that utilizes more than one type of release mechanism and functions with the pre-existing MILES system.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a mine simulator circuit for functioning a buzzer and flashbulb in the mine simulator upon actuation or "popping" and for keeping the buzzer on for a period of time sufficient to activate the MILES system equipment worn by the soldier or soldiers to indicate a "hit".